I wander, Some articles state that PLA will attract moisture, kind of hygroscopic material ? Anyway, I received a number of spools oit of a Swedish factory and all were sealed and included Silicagel However, when i walk through the Thingiverse library, I see people having multiple spools mounted above their printer. This seems nice, put 10 colors on the ceiling and choose whichever to start printing from. Main question than remains: will the PLA degrade over time being just there, doing nothing ? Rgrds Thomas Www.3daybreaker.blogspot.com https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124109#msg-124109 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:17:35 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,125867#msg-125867 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,125867#msg-125867 NewPerfection Plastic Extruder Working Group Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:36:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,125201#msg-125201 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,125201#msg-125201
Would you confirm that leaving the PLA in the garage, on the spool, no seals, that printing would suffer in the future?

Thomas]]> Replace Plastic Extruder Working Group Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:16:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,125128#msg-125128 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,125128#msg-125128
PLA is very Hydrscopic it attracts and retains moisture like a sponge (not litterally), we have had to manufacture a very large forced air preheater running the return air throught a box full of Silica Gel.

Store in zip lock bags where possible,
Double bag it if feasable. -- USE Silica Gel Sachets in each Bag the more the better.

If you have to dry the PLA -
1st -- Fan Forced Oven on the coldest setting possible so the oven is JUST running.
2nd option is to make a light box drier, basically a large sealable cardboard box with a standard 60 watt globe set throught a hole in the lid.

you will need to set a decent gap between the light bulb and te PLA as it will get hot under the globe 2 ft or 600 mm minimum.

simply seal the box and switch the light on for a few hours and please check ocassionally as this is a rudimentary oven ( I have seen chickens cooked this way !) See here if you want to cook a turkey using this method

hope this helps

-SNO-]]> SNOMANN Plastic Extruder Working Group Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:33:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124234#msg-124234 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124234#msg-124234
- put it in an owen for some time :
* fast.
* dangerous for your filament quality (have to experiment with temperature and duration in order to avoid the filament to deform / stick to itself).

- store it in a sealed packaging with some moisture-greedy material.
* slower than the owen (might take weeks).
* possible materials : rice, various dessicants.]]> DeuxVis Plastic Extruder Working Group Thu, 15 Mar 2012 05:57:50 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124178#msg-124178 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124178#msg-124178
So, I will get me a hygroscope in the garage.

How would someone dry the PLA before usage if it had been to moist?

Thomas]]> Replace Plastic Extruder Working Group Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:20:57 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124129#msg-124129 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124129#msg-124129 nophead Plastic Extruder Working Group Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:40:10 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124109#msg-124109 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?70,124109,124109#msg-124109
Some articles state that PLA will attract moisture, kind of hygroscopic material ?

Anyway, I received a number of spools oit of a Swedish factory and all were sealed and included Silicagel
However, when i walk through the Thingiverse library, I see people having multiple spools mounted above their printer.

This seems nice, put 10 colors on the ceiling and choose whichever to start printing from.

Main question than remains: will the PLA degrade over time being just there, doing nothing ?

Rgrds Thomas
Www.3daybreaker.blogspot.com]]> Replace Plastic Extruder Working Group Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:22:59 -0400